Celtics miss battle and abandon pre-season finale in Cleveland

CLEVELAND – Marcus Smart, an extremely emotional man, admitted to having asked JR Smith to join him in the back after the table break that led to Smart's ejection in the Boston Celtics' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at of the preparatory game Saturday night at the Quicken Loans Arena.

Still angry at Smith's actions that precipitated the debacle in the first half, Smart did not mince words to describe Smith's role in his ejection after the match.

"I said [Smith] to get back, "said Smart, who waved throughout her emotional two-minute interview with reporters and spoke directly to the camera.

"All this on the ground, we can handle that out of the court.I'm not with that.And it's on my mother, that she's resting in peace.This is not a punk Here on my mother, that she rest in peace, it's … dead, so whatever happens, I do not know where I am, everybody knows where I am. 'he is.

Smith responded to the video of Smart's interview by writing on Twitter: "Meet me on the street, damn back!" Later, Smith added, "It's better to keep [about] basketball."

Smart, who admitted he was still struggling to cope with his mother's recent loss, was upset when Smith was pushed to Baynes with both hands after the two players got entangled in making their way into the slot. the basket during a withdrawal investment.

Smart rushed from behind and gave Smith a two-handed thrust on his back. Smart was angered, in part, by Smith's past incidents involving Boston players.

"Everyone saw it, man. Again, you have to push and shove and I just did not, "said Smart. "We went through this year and I'm not trying to do it again, that's what I did, I did what I had to do. [for] my teammates. As if it were me, my teammates would do the same thing, then.

Smart said he would accept any further punishment from the league, probably a fine, but his teammates Terry Rozier and Jayson Tatum were able to attack him on the ground before any further climbing on the field.

Smith downplayed his role in the incident, saying he simply did not give up fighting for a place in the larger Baynes.

"Everyone knows how I play, especially when I'm passionate about it, trying to get it airborne, I'll try to put the spot forward," Smith said. "So I did what I normally do, before the job, he did what the big guys do, try to lock my arm, try to shoot a whistle." He swayed a little too much. twice, and they still called a double fault, which was embarrassing.

"I was frustrated with the situation, [Baynes] was clearly frustrated, so I pushed him. You have seen the rest. "

Focusing on Smart, Smith challenged his tenacity.

"For a guy who wants to be so tough in this situation, he leads the league on the flop, easily, you can not flop as much as you, and then be tough, how does it work?" Smith asked. "Then you start throwing your teammates, you did not come to play basketball today, you know what, he did not want to play, your coach told you that you had to play and you were frustrated. and then you try to pick on someone else.

"At the end of the day, I'm not going to stay here and lose money trying to fight Marcus Smart, I'm not going to lose money with my tattoo, so why lose it?" I with him? "

Celtics coach Brad Stevens admitted he thought Smith's push against Baynes was a "low blow," while Al Horford said Smith's actions were "useless."

Rozier said that he was happy to simply prevent Smart from making matters worse by helping him face Tatum.

"Just try not to let the situation get worse," Rozier said. "I'm just trying to do everything I can to hold him back and I have to fight him, but, you know, sometimes the emotions get strong and things like that, I understand, sometimes you have to just calm down, it's pre-season, do not leave dirty stuff, but at the same time, you just have to let things go sometimes.

"It is [tough to tackle]. Usually, I do not get in the way of people, because I sometimes understand that when people are checked, just let them calm down. You just have to give them a minute. I am the same. But you must do what we can to protect our guys. "